{"id":169165,"date":"2015-11-23T19:01:07","date_gmt":"2015-11-23T19:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=169165"},"modified":"2015-11-23T19:04:02","modified_gmt":"2015-11-23T19:04:02","slug":"mugabe-to-rule-till-100-in-wheelchair-grace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/11\/mugabe-to-rule-till-100-in-wheelchair-grace\/","title":{"rendered":"Mugabe to rule ’till 100 in wheelchair’ – Grace"},"content":{"rendered":"
President Robert Mugabe will rule Zimbabwe until he is 100 years old and, if need be, a special wheelchair will be designed for the veteran leader who now struggles to walk and has battled with swollen ankles for years.<\/p>\n
Mugabe has been in power since independence in 1980. He turns 92 next February and his Zanu PF party has already nominated him as its presidential candidate for the 2018 elections when he will be 94.<\/p>\n
Recent stumbles at Harare international airport as well as during a foreign trip to India have drawn opposition calls for him to step down and allow a younger and more energetic leader to take over.<\/p>\n
Never, said the president\u2019s wife, Grace, while addressing supporters at Murewa Business Centre in Mashonaland East on Saturday.<\/p>\n
“We are going to create a special wheelchair for President Mugabe until he rules to 100 years because that is what we want.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is the people’s choice. We want a leader that respects us,” said Grace.<\/p>\n
She however, admitted that divisions in Zanu PF remained the main threat to her husband staying in power for life.<\/p>\n
“But with factionalism that will not happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a lot of factionalism but the grassroots people are not stupid and those fanning factionalism will reap what they sow,” Grace said without mentioning any names.<\/p>\n
Although President Mugabe repeatedly indicates he will not retire, his lieutenants continue to bicker over his succession with turf wars splintering the ruling party.<\/p>\n
The divisions saw the dismissal of former vice president, Joice Mujuru, and a scores of party leaders and cabinet ministers said to have backed the alleged coup.<\/p>\n
Mujuru\u2019s ouster has not ended to the squabbling with new rows said to pit a faction rallying behind vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, against the younger G-40 grouping which appears to support Grace.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, the First Lady warned power hungry party officials to remember what happened to Mujuru’s bid to replace President Mugabe.<\/p>\n